The recall of Tylenol is fresh evidence of the need regulate wood pallets used to transport food and pharmaceuticals because of Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria or extremely high bacteria counts – as much as 6.8 million spores per gram – in more than one-third of the wood pallets tested.
In Portland, 5 of 30 pallets tested positive for Listeria.
In Philadelphia, 15 of the 30 wood pallets had high bacteria counts that exceeded 100,000 colonies/gram.
Nearly half of the wood pallets tested in Maine had high bacteria counts.
“There are more than one billion wood pallets used in the United States, so it’s critical to understand the role they play in outbreaks of food poisoning.”
But note: It’s chemicals used to treat wood pallets cited as causing a moldy, musty or mildew-like odor in the recalled Tylenol that caused nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain.
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